If progress were easy and painless, everyone would do it.

Progress can be hard, painful and just plain no fun.

There are times when stepping backwards seems like the best option and for some, it might be their only option. But for those of us who want to improve, to better, to progress, to change and to evolve, there is only one direction.

What if you don’t know how? What if you don’t the steps? What if you’re a kid and it just all seems overwhelming? Who cares about progess or improvement or any of that anyway? I just want to play and live and have fun.

Progress and change and learning can all seem difficult–and it might just be that. It’s OK, you’ll get through it. It will be better on the other side. Once you’re over this summit, the next one will seem smaller.

I know, it probably all sounds like propaganda you’ve heard before: It’ll be OK. It will get better. The worst part is over. I get it. It’s not fun. It’s hard. It’s painful. It’s slow. It seems like it will never end.

Except there’s a secret: at a certain level, you learn that you don’t need pain to achieve gain. But that’s for the advanced class.

If you want to get through it, you can get through it.

That’s potentially a big if though. If you don’t really want something, it’s a whole lot harder to achieve. It doesn’t terribly matter what it is: weight loss, better grades, more money or progress through the difficult steps of your life.

Do you have a team? Do you have people you can talk to? Who has been through it who can help you? There is someone who’s been through just what you’ve been through–guaranteed. Even though we might think that our personal challenges and problems are unique, chances are great that you’re not the first–and that’s a good thing.

If someone has gotten through it, it’s possible for you to get through it.

If you’re stuck, if you just don’t want to go on anymore, if it just all seems like a huge waste of time, what do you do?